Toulouse and the Tarnished Diamond
by The Beanster
Summary: This is a scenario of what might happen if Toulouse became involved with one of the Diamonds.
1. Default Chapter

  
Toulouse woke up. He was groggy. He had so much wine last night. He looked around his loft and seen that his paints were everywhere. He gasped at the sheer horror of it. What could have possibly happened here?  
Suddenly, he became award of the body lying next to him under the rainbow-stained sheets. He gasped again. He pulled back the sheet slowly. When her face was revealed, he quickly threw the sheet back over her.  
Now, he really began to wonder. What was Roxanne doing in bed with him covered from head to toe in HIS paint? His first reflex was to look for his money-purse. He saw it on the floor by the desk that his pitcher and basin rest on. He moved very slowly out of bed, taking particular care not to wake her up. When he reached his purse, he poured the contents into his hand.   
Roxanne was awoke from the sound of metal clanking. She gasped. Toulouse jumped like a frightened cat.  
"How dare you think that I would take your money?" She yelled at him.  
"Mademoiselle Roxanne, I assure you that I meant no offense." He replied apologetically.  
"After all of those things you spoke last night." She cried as she quickly reached for a robe to cover her corset. "I guess the wedding is off then." She said with her chin up.  
Toulouse was shocked. "Mademoiselle…I-I-I…"he stammered.  
"Oh shut up, you fool. I had already told Harold of our plans." She began to cry.  
"Oh mademoiselle…" he consoled, "I don't know what to say."  
"Say you remember telling me you love me." She said as she pulled a handkerchief away from her face.  
"I'm sorry, mademoiselle, I do not."  
Roxanne let out a loud cry and ran out of the door slamming it behind her. Toulouse sat on the bed. He was still in a mild state of shock. He looked out of his window and saw Christian and Satine on the street below. Then he saw Roxanne approach them. Toulouse began to panic. What could she be telling them? How could he possibly rectify the situation?  
  
OK. So that's it. Please be gentle.  



	2. Toulouse reconciles

Toulouse was cleaning up that huge, colorful mess when he stumbled across a painting. At first, he just set it aside, but then he took a second look. This was a new painting. Upon closer inspection, he realized that this was not just a new painting, but a painting of Roxanne.   
She looked different somehow. She seemed almost beautiful. Toulouse then realized that he had captured her true inner essence. His first instincts as an artist incited his excitement. This was totally idealistic of the Bohemian theology. As the adrenaline wore off, he took yet a closer look. He was surprised to see Roxanne in an almost glamorous way. He had never thought much of her looks, but certainly this painting shows how beautiful she really is.  
Then he remembered that morning, as she ran out of them room crying, and he began to get angry with himself. How could he let her leave so upset? He decided that he must see her.  
As he walked down the street in the direction of the Moulin Rouge, he saw a street vendor selling flowers. He thought to himself,"I bet my diamond would like those flowers."  
He stopped. Did he just say HIS diamond? Then, he just shrugged it off and bought a large bouquet of tulips. He continued on. Being that it was broad day, he knew that the diamonds would not be performing now, more likely rehearsing, but he may get a chance to speak to Roxanne alone.   
When he entered the Moulin Rouge, the first that he saw was Marie talking to the dwarf. They seemed to be discussing some kind of mishap involving a customer and Satine's perch. But Toulouse was not interested in any naughty gossip. He ran to them with haste.  
"Madame Marie," he asked gasping for breath. "Where might I find the fair Roxanne?"  
At first they looked stunned, then they looked at each other and began laughing boisterously. The chair that the dwarf was standing on fell over.  
"Ladies, I assure you this is no laughing matter!!" he exclaimed in a shocking tone. "I need to discuss something of urgency with Lady Roxanne."  
Once again, they stared at him blankly. In unison, they burst into more laughter.  
"LADIES!?!"  
Marie's chuckling slowed enough for her to muster a sentence.  
"She's at the bar," she said pointing.  
Marie was correct. Roxanne was indeed at the bar, and she was not alone. She was sitting on the lap of a dirty, burly man who was missing some teeth. She was running her fingers through his beard.  
He approached her. "Mademoiselle, please I must speak with you."  
Roxanne looked up. For a minute, she was taken aback. "Go away, you toad. Can't you see I am with my...cousin?"  
"Please mademoiselle," he exclaimed as he handed her the bouquet. "I brought these for you."  
"For me," she asked.  
"Yes, mademoiselle, may we speak alone?"  
Roxanne hopped out the man's lap and approached Toulouse. She accepted the flowers and leaned over to whisper in his ear.  
"Meet me at the top of the elephant tonight after closing."  
  
OK. I am open for suggestions. I'm not quite sure where I'm going with this one. 


	3. Toulouse's nightmare

I'm possibly considering abandoning this story for my other MR fanfic so if anyone would like to object, now would be the time.  
  
  
Toulouse was so excited. He went to the Moulin Rouge that night daydreaming of a life with Roxanne. He sat very near the stage as he watched the diamonds twirling about. When Roxanne would come out to perform, he would stand and applaud loudly. Roxanne's surprise was somewhat evident on his face, and she must have known it. Once or twice, she looked in the general direction of Harold only to perceive disapproving looks.  
Toulouse's excitement did not quell as the night went on. He drank liberally despite Christian's requests for him to slow down. When the end of the night came, he stumbled outside with a flask of brandy and began to climb the stairs to the top of the elephant. Fortunately, Satine was with Christian in his flat, and he and Roxanne would be alone.  
Once he had reached the top, he sat down and gazed up at the stars. As he continued to drink, he saw an image of Roxanne in the stars blowing him a kiss. He reached out to catch it with a sheepish grin. More and more, he continued to drink. After awhile, it became aware to him that a good deal of time had passed since closing.   
His first thought was of concern. What could have possibly happened to his delicate diamond? Could she have been assaulted by a bullish-customer? Then it occured to him that she may indeed be with a customer, and that she never had any intention of meeting him here. He slowly became angry. He clumsily rose to his feet and shouted at the top of his lungs,"RO-O-OX-A-ANNE."  
Then he fell over with a huge thud. For a moment, he didn't move and then suddenly he made a loud snore. He slept through the night dreaming.   
First, he dreamed of a waterfall of colorful paint. He danced and played in it. Then Roxanne appeared amidst the color.  
"Milady," he called out.   
She smiled at him at first then turned her head.  
"Milady," he called out again. She turned to face him again and her teeth were jagged and sharp and she lunged toward him.  
This woke Toulouse up with fright for a moment. Stunned, he grabbed the flask and took a long gulp. Once he put the flask down, he fell back over with another thud.  
He began to dream again. This time he was looking up at the stars. As he looked he drifted up to them. He turned and looked back and he saw the earth. He was awe-struck. In another direction, he could see the moon. He kept traveling amidst the planets, taking in all the sites, when it occured to him that he had picked up speed. He began to panic. Then he looked up and realized that he was traveling toward the sun faster and faster and he was unable to stop himself.  
Then Roxanne appeared. Her face was completely surrounded by the aura of the sun.  
"Toulouse," she said. "Wake up, Toulouse. Oh, why must you drink so much."  
Toulouse could only grin sheepishly at her.  
"Toulouse, I don't have long please wake up." She turned away and then looked back at him again. "Alright, Toulouse, tomorrow then." She leaned down and kissed him on the forehead.  
Toulouse still in a dream state continued to smile sheepishly. And then she was gone.   
He slept until morning. When he awoke, he realized that he was alone. He slowly got up and climbed down from the elephant muttering some curses as he went. How dare she promise to show and never come!   
"That's it," he thought to himself. "I will never speak to her again!" 


	4. In the Dark

OK. This will be the final chapter. I hope you have enjoyed it.  
  
The next evening, Toulouse was back at the Moulin Rouge under protest. Christian had refused to allow him to sulk in his flat.   
Roxanne was delighted to see him, but each time she would send a friendly glance his way, he would look away as if not to care. Roxanne was puzzled by this. Just yesterday, he had brought her tulips, and now he was doing everything in his power to ignore her.  
As the night went on, Toulouse sipped at his usual brandy. Christian had left his company to pursue other interests, of which being Satine, which was just as well for Toulouse for he wished to be alone with his own sour company at any rate. However, he would not be satisfied for long.  
Eventually, Roxanne found a moment and she rushed to find Toulouse. He hadn't left the table that he had been sitting at all night alone. However, was surprised to find that he was no longer alone.  
A stranger at a nearby table had watched him all night. When Toulouse's fifth glass was empty, he slammed back down on the table.  
"Dammit," he exclaimed.  
The stranger approached him with care.  
"May I buy you another glass, sir?"  
Although, it was Toulouse's desire to be utterly alone this evening, he desired even more to wash his broken heart into the oblivion of licquor.  
"Yes, thank you."  
"Sir, I have watched you all night, and I was wondering if I might inquire of the reason for your troubles."  
Roxanne heard this dialogue and chose to remain back where she could not be seen, and eavesdrop instead.  
"Well... I suppose," began Toulouse. "Have a seat."  
The gentleman sat down next to him and Toulouse began his tale. As Toulouse recanted on the past few days, the gentleman listened intently as well as Roxanne.   
As Toulouse told the man of how he had spent the previous evening, his story quickly became a rant. "... and I awoke this morning alone. How foolish I was to think that a whore might desire to share something true and meaningful with me. I swore that I will never speak to that concubine again."  
The gentleman made his attempts to comfort, but lurking in the shadows was a distraught Roxanne. She knew that she would not be able to hold on to Toulouse. That the life she had chosen would forever keep her from love. For a moment, she considered running over to him and explaining why she was delayed. Satine had fallen ill, and she was sent out to bring back a doctor, but she knew that it would not matter. She was a diamond, belonging to noone but herself. She chose to let his love die.  
  
  
Well that is the end. I apologize to those who might have been hoping for a happy ending. 


End file.
